The Social Secretary

I had always heard that Norma Talmadge starred mainly in "women's weepies", but in this early film, she's more like a bouncy flapper. Norma stars as an attractive girl whose working life is made miserable by wolfish bosses, so she applies for her next job disguised as a frumpy spinster type. Action ensues when Norma has to stop the machinations of an evil cad and a snoopy society reporter (played with appropriate vulturishness by Erich Von Stroheim).

The film has winning performances, especially by Norma, some good cinematography, and a fairly engaging story. It will definitely interest those curious about 1916 society and everyday life. (It's interesting to see the 1916 definition of frumpy clothing, for example; the form-fitting, dark-colored clothes Norma wears as the "homely" girl would probably be considered sexier today than the fluffy garments she wears as the attractive girl. However, you can still get into the mindset of the time period and see how the latter garments would be perceived as more youthful and charming.)

Slight silent women's pic in which Norma Talmadge has to pin up her hair and don specs in order to hold down a secretarial job without getting hit upon by wolfish males. An inoffensive time-filler notable only for an early appearance from Erich von Stroheim as a low-life society columnist.

Norma Talmadge the starring attraction here as Mayme, a young stenographer who cannot keep a job because every male client she gets makes advances toward her. Finally, she gets a lucky break. Mrs. de Puyster, a woman from a wealthy family, is looking for a new social secretary. Her only conditions are that the girl is intelligent, well-bred, and unattractive to men. Mayme desperately wants the job, so she slicks back her curls, puts on some glasses and plain-looking clothes and goes out to get her job. She is immediately hired and becomes one of the family, but she becomes worried about the daughter of the house who is falling for a phony Count from Portugal. Also, she begins to fall for the son of the house and is caught by a nosy reporter (Erich von Stroheim).

This movie is pretty standard. Nothing outrageous happens but it does hold one's attention. The Grapevine print isn't of the best quality, but the title cards are still readable and one can make out faces.

Talmadge is the star is this brisk 1916 comedy-drama, and she's quite good. She plays a secretary who keeps getting unwanted attention from her male bosses, so she makes herself dowdy and goes to work as the social secretary for a rich woman. She then gets involved in the household dramas of the rich family in a series of episodes. Talmadge is beautiful and a very good actress. It's easy to see why Norma Talmadge was one of the biggest stars of the 20s. She is, unfortunately, also remembered as being one of the biggest victims of "talkies." Talmadge made 2 talkies and then retired from films. Her New York accent did not match her screen persona as the epitome of romance and charm. This is a good little film, which also boasts Erich Von Stroheim as the Buzzard, Gladden James as the boy friend, Kate Lester as the matriarch, Helen Weer as Elsie, and Nora Cecil as the spinster secretary who "never has a problem with men." Interestingly, this plot was used 20 years later in the Marion Davies film, Ever Since Eve.

After several bad experiences with hormonally overactive employers, Mayme, played by Norma Talmadge, dowdies herself up to take a job as a social secretary for Mrs. Von Puyster, the matriarch of a wealthy Riverside Drive family. (Ironically and coincidentally, just when Mayme has become fed up with her lecherous male bosses, Von Puyster has requested an unattractive applicant as the previous secretaries have left the job to get married--perhaps this would have made a bit more sense if Von Puyster were an unlecherous male, but whatever). Mayme quickly becomes close to the Von Puyster family. She is like a sister to daughter Elsie, and Mrs. Von Puyster thinks she does a fine job, and once son Jimmy (a drunk) accidentally sees the real un-uglified Mayme he becomes smitten (and cleans up his act instantly to become a good guy!--which is a bit awkward since we don't really like him to begin with, but oh well...) Mayme and Jimmie carry on a secret romance until they are found out by a smarmy reporter (played wonderfully by Erich von Stroheim). The threat of imminent exposure by the reporter, in addition to Elsie Von Puyster's marraige proposal by one of Mayme's lascivious ex-bosses, force Mayme to end her charade. The movie is fun, although the plot is at times oddly convenient, and definitely worth seeing if you have the chance.